The Trial Of The Century
by bulmablue-eyes
Summary: Hermione is now a lawyer flying to success within her firm. But when she is given a case she really doesn't want, she ins convinced her client is guilty... until seeds of doubt are planted in her mind. PostHBP
1. Hermione's New Case

**The Trial Of The Century**

**Chapter One – Hermione's New Case**

Disclaimer – I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters you recognise. If you did, I'd be filthy rich with my very own swimming pool, not a piss-poor student panicking about financing myself through university.

Hermione Granger sat down behind her desk, smiling widely as she carefully wrote the words 'Verdict: Not Guilty' on the top of her latest case file.

She had been completely stunned to learn that her favourite Muggle singer was in fact a wizard, and was even more astonished to learn that she would be defending him in a trial against a fourteen year old Hogwarts student. She hadn't understood how such an inexperienced lawyer had been given the case, and she had never dared to believe she could successfully defend him, especially under the pressure of her client's tens of thousands of Muggle and Wizarding fans, and, most of all, his three young children. So, when the verdict of Not Guilty on all charges, she nearly fainted, and would have, had it not been for the bone-crushing hug, filled with raw emotion, that her childhood idol had pulled her into.

At twenty years old (and a half), Hermione was the youngest lawyer to ever be hired in the Magical world, and, despite people's doubts at the start of her career, she had shot to success within months.

As she waved her wand to banish the successful case file to her filing cabinet, Hermione's boss walked into the office, a parchment case file in his hand, nodding in greeting as he sat down in the chair opposite his desk.

"Morning, Granger." He said, shaking his leg in agitation. "Well done on the Jackson case."

"Morning, Bob. And it was easy once I got into it." Hermione admitted, shrugging as she sat back in her seat. "Once I forced myself to forget it was Michael Jackson I was defending, I was able to focus objectively enough on the case to realise I could actually _prove_ that the kid was lying."

"Very good." Bob told her, nodding approvingly. "Knew you had it in you. That's why I persuaded Michael to let me give you the case."

"What can I do for you, Bob?" Hermione asked, indicating the case file in his hand. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to be happy with whatever's in that file?"

"Because you're not going to be happy with it." Bob admitted. "You're gonna hate it."

"Why?" Hermione asked, taking a large mouthful of her mineral water.

"Severus Snape."

Hermione choked on her water. Severus Snape had been caught the day after Harry Potter had defeated Lord Voldemort, and had immediately been arrested for the murder of Professor Dumbledore.

"You have got to be kidding." Hermione said, sitting up straight and trying to give him the consistently intimidating glare that she had often used to get Harry and Ron to study in school. "I can't do this. My best friend was there when Snape blatantly used the Killing Curse on – " Hermione stopped as her voice cracked.

"Not only that." Bob informed her. "He's facing four charges altogether."

Hermione looked up, puzzled. "What are the other three?"

"Conspiracy to murder." Bob replied. "His victims being… I haven't actually checked the names of the other victims yet… Dumbledore's big enough…" he looked down at the file he had placed on Hermione's desk. "Ah. No… Dumbledore's nothing."

"What do you mean?" Hermione demanded, her eyes wide. "What could be bigger than Albus Dumbledore's murder?"

"Conspiracy to murder." Bob said. "Victims: Potter, Lily; Potter, James; Potter, Harry."

"You can't be serious." Hermione said immediately, her mouth hanging open. "How can I possibly defend this? One of the victims was my headmaster, who, like all Hogwarts students, I loved like a grandfather, and the others are my best friend and his dead parents!"

"I am serious." Bob said bluntly. "You're taking the case, Hermione. You're meeting Snape at Azkaban in an hour for his initial interview."

An hour later, Hermione found herself stood outside Severus Snape's cell in Azkaban, her hand raised, taking deep calming breaths as she searched for the courage to enter. Finally, she knocked sharply three times on the door, pushing it open at the weary "Enter" that came from within.

Snape was sat on a small, filthy Azkaban bed, looking down at his thin hands in his lap. His skin was even paler than Hermione remembered, and he had clearly lost a lot of weight, causing the already slender man to appear almost skeletal. His hair was filthy; not oily like it used to be, probably as a result of standing over hot cauldrons all day, but actually covered with visible dirt and muck. Clearly the Dementors did not provide prisoners with showers. His lips were dry and chapped, and he had several bruises on his head and face, caused, Hermione suspected, by Severus himself banging his head against the walls of his cell when the leeching of the Dementors was affecting him most.

"Severus Snape?" She said, choosing to abandon their teacher-student relationship immediately. "I'm your lawyer from Wimbel, Grant and Rooter."

"I see." Severus said, sitting up straight on his filthy bed. "And what might your name be?"

"Hermione Granger."

Severus' eyebrows raised harshly as he looked intently at his lawyer. "Miss Granger? Ah, yes, I remember! Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley's little brain. I believe I called you an insufferable know-it-all on numerous occasions." Hermione nodded slowly in confirmation. "Perhaps now it will work in my favour."

Hermione suddenly jolted back to reality. This was no longer the incredibly intelligent teacher she had respected throughout her schooldays. He was the man who had _murdered_ the greatest wizard in the world. Harry had actually _seen_ him kill Albus Dumbledore.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Hermione sat down next to Severus and began her pre-trial interview.

"Can you tell me what happened the night Professor Dumbledore died?" She asked, trying her best to detach herself from the situation.

Severus, though, just shook his head.

"You don't remember?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"It's not that I can't remember, Miss Granger." Severus said, his agitation clear in his voice. "I _can't _tell you!"

"Why not?" Hermione demanded. "What are you…. wait…" Hermione stopped for a moment, thinking. "Do you mean you physically _can't _tell me what actually happened."

Severus looked at her, remaining silent in confirmation.

"Oh, Merlin." Hermione ran her hands through her brown, curly hair, her mouth open in shock. Suddenly, her whole view on Severus had changed. Something was going on here that no-one but Severus knew about – and he had been bewitched so that he could tell no-one. Hermione, though, was determined to find out. "Well," she said, standing up. "Clearly there's little to gain from an interview, then."

Severus stood up, too, and shook her hand, nodding in agreement.

"I'm going to go and research spells of this nature, and gather a list of witnesses I'll call." Hermione told him. "Then we have the pre-trial hearing tomorrow. Hopefully I won't have any problem making that work well. This is my second high-profile case, now, and if I could swing things for Michael, you're going to be no problem."

"Why are you doing this?" Severus asked, his dark eyes suddenly looking at her sadly and anxiously, a mere shadow of the hard, commanding gaze he used to possess. "Surely you heard what Potter saw. You believe I'm guilty."

"I did." Hermione told him with a nod. "Seeing you today, though, I'm not so sure. I think there's something we were all made to miss."

Severus merely stared at her, unable to respond, and Hermione smiled warmly before stepping out of the cell. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

_**A/N: Well…. What do you think? I actually have barely any legal knowledge, yet, so please don't have a go because of that. Allow some breathing space… this is Wizarding courts not Muggle.**_

_**This fic will basically be me putting all sorts that I figured out about HP into a story while we wait for the real story. Enjoy!**_


	2. PreTrial Controversy

**Chapter 2 – Pre-Trial Controversy**

Disclaimer – I wish I owned Harry Potter. If I did, I would've slept INSIDE Michael Jackson's hotel when he was in London, not on the traffic island outside!

Hermione stood on the doorstep outside Harry Potter's apartment, leaning her head against the cool stone wall, waiting for her friend to answer the door. She had just had the most stressful day of her life. She had been told to defend a man she was certain was guilty, until, upon meeting him for his pre-trial interview, the seeds of doubt had been planted in her mind.

Hermione stood up straight as the door opened, and smiled widely when she came face-to-face with Ron Weasley.

"Ron!" She said, pulling him into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"Hey, Hermione!" Ron said, stepping back to allow Hermione entrance into the apartment. "Harry's just opening the booze."

"I hope there's a nice bottle of rosé included in that description, not just Firewhiskey." Hermione told him as she placed her coat on a hook and walked into the living room. "I'm in court in the morning, and I can't afford to have a hangover, especially not for this case."

"Big case?" Harry asked, placing a glass of cool rosé wine in her hand.

"Yeah." Hermione said, dropping down onto the sofa. "Don't ask. I can't talk about it. How's business, anyway?"

The summer after leaving Hogwarts, Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley had been put up for sale, and, seeing his friend's longing for the store, Harry had offered Ron the money to buy the shop. Ron, proud as ever, had refused to accept the money, and so Harry had told him to call it a loan, and to start paying him back when he had the business up and running.

Harry himself was now a professional Quidditch player for the Liverpool Lions, and was doing pretty well for himself.

"It's good." Ron said. "We got the new Firebolt 2000 in. Harry himself came in and bought seven for the Lions! And the _Chudley Cannons_ manager came and bought seven original Firebolts!"

"Really?" Hermione said, her eyebrows raised, impressed. "Ron, that's great. If professional teams are coming to you, you must be getting a really good reputation."

"Well, I do my best." Ron said with a grin.

"You hear about Snape?" Harry asked, opening a bottle of Muggle beer and taking a swig. "He's in court tomorrow."

"Erm…. Yeah." Hermione said, her heart pounding in her chest. "I heard."

"We're going to court." Harry told her. "Watch the scumbag get what he deserves. You coming?"

"I told you." Hermione said, desperate to end the conversation. "I'm in court tomorrow morning. How's the roommate search going, Harry?"

"It's good." Harry told her with a shrug. "I looked through the applications and picked the one that looked best. He moves in tomorrow night."

"That's good." Hermione said, draining her glass. "What's his name?"

"No idea." Harry confessed. "I forgot to put that question on the application."

Hermione rolled her eyes with a grin and poured herself another glass of wine.

Hermione walked towards Courtroom 1 the next morning, glancing nervously at the overwhelming number of photographers and journalists who had gathered in the lobby.

"Hermione!" She looked up and saw, to her horror, Harry, Ron and Ginny hurrying towards her.

"What's going on?" Harry asked. "I thought you couldn't come!"

"Guys, I really can't talk to you right now." Hermione told them, looking anxiously around. She was meant to be meeting Severus in the lobby outside the courtroom, taking responsibility for him from the aurors. At the moment, though, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Why." Ron asked, waving enthusiastically at Hagrid, who had just spotted them and was heading their way. "Did you get out of your case?"

"'Arry! 'Ermione! Ron!" Hagrid interrupted before Hermione had a chance to answer. "You all 'ere to see that filth get what's coming, eh?"

"I'm not here to meet you guys!" Hermione told them nervously. "I'm meant to be meeting my client here. Now where the _hell_ are those aurors?"

The front doors to the lobby suddenly opened, and Severus Snape appeared in the door way, his wrists in handcuffs, escorted by Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody. Immediately, the photographers lunged forwards, camera's flashing, reporters firing questions, and the crowd of witches and wizards who had come to watch the hearing erupted into shouts of fury. Severus's eyes widened in fear and he shrunk back towards the door, trying in vain to avoid the angry mob. Hermione felt her heart thumping in her ears. It was terrifying to see a man she had admired and respected for so long suddenly looking so vulnerable.

Without another word to Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hagrid, she forced her way forward towards Severus.

"Alastor. Kingsley. Tonks." She nodded in greeting to the three aurors, handing them the papers that identified her as Severus's representation. "I'll take him from here."

The three Order members looked shocked to discover that their comrade was defending the man who killed their leader. Glaring angrily at her, they reluctantly released Severus, removing his handcuffs.

"Are you alright, Severus?" She asked, taking care of his arm and looking closely at him.

Severus nodded numbly, never taking his eyes off the crowd. "I'm starting to understand how Longbottom felt in my classroom. They're all so angry. I don't blame them, though. They think I mur – " He was suddenly cut off, unable to speak any further. He growled in frustration, clenching his fists angrily and muttering "Bloody hell" under his breath.

"Let's go." Hermione said, pulling him towards the shouting crowd. As she pulled him through the throng of journalists, demands and questions were shouted constantly at her. Severus remained silent, whereas Hermione simply responded with "No comment" and "My client has nothing to say" every few seconds.

When they reached the door to the courtroom, Harry grabbed Hermione's arm, while Ron, Ginny and Hagrid stood behind him, looking furious.

"What the _fuck _is going on?" Harry demanded angrily, glaring from Hermione to Snape lividly. "Are you defending this bastard?"

"I'm sorry, Harry." Hermione said, forcing herself to stay calm. "But as you are likely to be a key witness in my client's trial, I am not permitted to discuss this with you."

"Is this what you do now?" Ron shouted, stepping forward, just inches from Hermione's face. "Try to free murderers?"

"No." Hermione said coolly. "I get justice. For the innocent."

"_Innocent!"_ Ron bellowed, glaring at her irately. He stepped back for a moment, his blood almost literally boiling. Then, suddenly, he slapped her. Hard.

Severus stepped forward angrily, while Hermione clutched her hand to her left cheek in shock. When Severus looked like he was about to hit Ron back, Hermione gently placed her hand on his arm, stopping him. "Severus, just leave it." Ron looked ready to kill at her use of their old professor's first name, but Hermione just glared at him.

"You'd hit a woman?" Severus sneered, the first time he had spoken since he had first entered the lobby.

"You'd murder an old man?" Harry glared, his eyes narrowed.

Severus flinched, as if he had been the one slapped, and Hermione cast one last angry look at Harry and Ron, before leading him into the courtroom.

Hermione sat, taking notes as the Minister for Magic read out the arrangements for the trial and the names of the witnesses for the first day of testimony. After the opening speeches, the prosecution would be making their case, and then Hermione would have her turn.

"Would either council like to make any requests before this court is adjourned until first day of trial?"

Hermione stood up, walking around to the front of the defence's table. This was it; the first terrifyingly controversial move she was going to make during this trial.

"I would like to request that my client be removed from the Azkaban institution and instead be placed under magically enforced house arrest, under the supervision of his representation."

A gasp echoed throughout the courtroom, and Harry stood up angrily, opening his mouth to shout at her before being pulled back into his seat by Ginny. Severus, who had been sitting with his head resting on his folded arms, suddenly sat up straight, staring at Hermione, his mouth open and his eyes wide in shock.

Scrimgeour sat forward, looking utterly confused. "You are requesting that the man charged with the _murder_ of Albus Dumbledore be released from the security of Dementors and allowed to live with you?"

"That is correct, yes." Hermione said, standing calmly in the middle of the courtroom.

"May I ask what justification you have for this request?" Hermione gulped nervously. From the look on Scrimgeour's face, she needed a really good reason to get him to agree to this.

"Having visited my client in his cell in Azkaban, I was most concerned by the evident physical and psychological effects the prison was having upon him." Hermione took a deep breath, glancing anxiously towards Severus. He was going to go mental for this. "He had clearly lost shocking amounts of weight, and his appearance was that of a very sick man. Bruising on his face and head are clear results of self-harm, inflicted during the psychological effects of the Dementors.

"To conclude, as well as the physical and psychological effects Azkaban is having on my client, I am concerned about the effect this will have on his ability to fairly defend himself in court. To deliberately imprison my client in an institution that will hinder his ability to defend himself would constitute unlawfully denying him his right to a fair trial."

A murmur ran throughout the courtroom. Through the mutterings, Hermione heard Ginny comment "Well, she is good at her job." Scrimgeour looked horrified for a moment, before he and the rest of the Wizengamot started whispering amongst themselves. Hermione sat down next Severus, looking nervously at him, before focusing on the Wizengamot, who appeared to have reached their decision.

"Miss Granger, please stand." Hermione obliged, and Scrimgeour continued. "Miss Granger, we are willing to allow the defendant temporary release from Azkaban Prison. He will remain in your company at all times, magically bound to you. He will be unable to leave your company. These are measures that must be undertaken to ensure that he receives his right to a fair trial, as well as ensuring the safety of the public."

Hermione nodded in understanding, standing as the court was adjourned, before leading Severus out of the courtroom.

Hermione opened the door to her apartment, hanging her keys on a hook on the wall as she waved Severus into her home.

Upon leaving the Ministry's courts, they had been once again mobbed by photographers, journalists and furious witches and wizards. Hermione had recognised numerous faces in the crowd, including many of her friends from Hogwarts, all glaring at her, fuming over what they saw as Hermione's betrayal of them, and of Professor Dumbledore.

So, having finally escaped the mob, all Hermione wanted to do know was sit down with a cup of tea, or possibly a glass of wine, and do nothing. First, though, she had to give Severus the tour.

"This will be your bedroom." She told him, showing him to the spare room. "And here's the bathroom. And of course the kitchen, dining room and lounge, well they're open plan. You saw them as soon as you walked in."

"Thank you for letting me stay." Severus said uncomfortably, coughing gruffly. "It was very… erm… generous of you. To get me out of that place, and to…to… allow me into your home. No other wizard would have done that."

"It was my pleasure." Hermione responded quietly. "Like I told Harry. I want to get justice for the innocent."

"You believe I'm innocent?" Severus asked, staring at her.

"I think I do." Hermione told him. "Or at least I'm starting to."

_**A/N: Well… what do you guys think? People are REALLY pissed off with Hermione then!**_

_**Okay…. Time for your input… who should I pair Hermione with? Severus, Draco, Bill or Charlie? You'll have a few chapters to vote….**_


	3. Tragic Yet Necessary

**Chapter 3 – Tragic But Necessary**

Hermione woke up the next morning after just five hour sleep and, after dressing smartly in neat burgundy robes, padded sleepily into the kitchen, flicking on the kettle and grabbing a cigarette before she had even sat down. She didn't smoke often, only when she was nervous or stressed, and at that moment, she was both.

"You smoke?" Hermione looked up to see Severus walk into the kitchen, already dressed for court, his eyebrow raised enquiringly at her cigarette. "I thought you were the ever-so-prim-and-proper-never-breaks-the-rules-insufferable-know-it-all head girl?"

Hermione allowed herself a small laugh. "Yes, well, it's the ever-so-prim-and-proper-never-breaks-the-rules-insufferable-know-it-all types you have to look out for. After a while they can't help but rebel. I started after sixth year, when we went off looking for the Horcruxes."

Severus nodded slightly, and sat down opposite Hermione, looking thoughtfully at his hands.

"Do you want to eat before we go to court?" Hermione asked quietly. She could see he was shaking with nerves, and, as he shook his head to say no, she noticed he looked like he felt as nauseous as she did. "Me neither." She said, standing up. "Let's head off."

"It's a bit early, don't you think, Miss Granger?" Severus asked, glancing at the clock. "It's not yet eight o'clock."

"I have learned," Hermione said, "that the jury nearly always arrives at the Ministry at around eight fifteen, walking through the main lobby to be taken to their isolated chambers. I like to conveniently place myself and my clients in the lobby, where they will see us. It makes an excellent first impression if they see you looking confident and prompt."

As Hermione had predicted, the jury were indeed escorted through the main lobby of the Ministry, and they did notice Hermione and Severus as they passed by, looking, as Hermione had instructed, confident, but not cocky.

Now, though, they were sitting down in the courtroom, as the prosecution lawyer, Charlie Weasley as she had been horrified to discover, stood to deliver his opening speech.

Severus barely heard a word of the prosecution's speech, as he deliberately focused on anything else in the room – he felt that, if he allowed himself to absorb what was being said against him, he was likely to be sick. His gaze fell instead on Hermione, as she sat next to him, biting her lip in concentration as she listened intently to what the opposing lawyer was saying against him, occasionally looking down to furiously scribble down some notes. Her hair was no longer bushy and unruly like it had been during her schooldays, but had tamed as she matured, now falling in sleek curls over her shoulders, a myriad of shimmering browns and reds, chestnut and auburn, shining under the bright lights of the courtroom. She was wearing minimal make-up, just a touch of natural foundation, mascara and lipstick, which perfectly emphasised her soft brown eyes and full lips.

Severus jolted slightly as Hermione suddenly stood, bringing Severus's concentration crashing back to the trial. It was time for her to deliver her opening speech.

Hermione walked to the front of the courtroom, placing her notes on the speaker's table as she turned to face the jury, and started speaking, forcing herself to ignore the angry glares of her friends upon her.

"It is a well known fact that Albus Dumbledore was the only man whom Lord Voldemort feared, but it is less known that this fact is remarkably mirrored by circumstances from over half a century ago."

"In 1945, William Worpe, aged 165, was the only man feared by another dark wizard – Grindelwald."

"Objection!" Hermione pursed her lips in irritation as Charlie stood and face the judge. "I don't believe this is of any relevance to this case."

"Your Honour," Hermione said in response. "I am attempting to demonstrate to the jury the legal precedent set by another case similar to this one."

Judge Rodney Melville looked at her in thought for a moment, before speaking. "Overruled. You may continue, Miss Granger."

"Thank you, Your Honour." Hermione took a deep breath, before continuing. "As I was saying, Worpe came to realise that, if her were no longer a factor in the war, Grindelwald would become over-confident, hasty and clumsy, and that his continued presence was only serving to ensure that Grindelwald continued to act secretly, killing and torturing without revealing himself for long enough to be defeated. So, Worpe instructed his partner, who unbeknownst to Grindelwald possessed a power even greater that Worpe's, to kill him, in the hope of luring Grindelwald into a false sense of security. Worpe's partner did as he was asked, and, as a result, succeeded in defeating Grindelwald in the September of that year.

"William Worpe's partner, the wizard who _killed_ him, was Albus Dumbledore."

A murmur of surprise ran through the courtroom, and Hermione fought back a smile of satisfaction. It was working. She had revealed information sensational enough to linger in people's minds – Dumbledore himself had done exactly what she was trying to convince the jury Severus had done.

"Rather than sentencing Professor Dumbledore to a life sentence in Azkaban for his use of the Unforgivable Killing Curse on his partner, the Ministry of Magic gave him an Order of Merlin, First Class, and stated that the taking of William Worpe's life had been a tragic yet necessary sacrifice of war."

Severus peered intently at Hermione. She really was the brightest witch he had ever met. At her young age, she had managed to research events most people never even knew existed. And she was eerily as close to the truth about her comparisons as it was possible for her to get.

"Throughout the course of this trial," Hermione continued, "I will demonstrate to you that Albus Dumbledore remembered the success that resulted from his late partner's sacrifice, and, fifty years later, found himself facing that same choice. I will prove to you that, in the months prior to his death, Albus Dumbledore came to the conclusion that Harry Potter needed one final push before he would have the necessary passion and thirst for vengeance required for him to master the skills needed to defeat Lord Voldemort, and to take the fight to him. I will prove to you that, in those final months, Albus Dumbledore turned to the one person he knew would be able to make the necessary sacrifice; the one person whom he knew had already had to make similar sacrifices sixteen years earlier. I will prove to you that Albus Dumbledore was not, as the prosecution so erroneously claims, murdered, but that he asked – nay, ordered, under the influence of an Unbreakable Vow – my client to take his life, making Severus Snape not a murderer, but an innocent man forced to turn his mentor into another 'tragic yet necessary sacrifice of war'."

Hermione sat back down next to Severus, releasing a huge sigh of relief. "Well," she muttered under her breath, "I think that got my point across."

There was silence for a moment, before Judge Melville spoke again. "Court will reconvene after lunch for the examining of the first witnesses."

_**A/N: That was short, I know, but I couldn't put the first witness in the same chapter. It would've been like twenty pages long!**_

_**Right…. I think you can all guess which pairing I went for! The votes ALL swung that way anyway.**_

_**And ten points to Gryffindor if anyone can tell me where I've got Judge Rodney Melville from.**_

_**And, finally, review people! I have a load more hits than reviews. It's the REVIEWS that give me a kick up the ass to hurry up with the next chapter!**_


	4. Harry Potter's Hint

**Chapter 4 – Harry Potter's Hint**

"I think it went well this morning." Hermione said as she swallowed her last spoonful of Ministry of Magic cafeteria apple pie.

"It did." Severus agreed, watching her eat. "You managed to catch their attention, and change their perception of both Albus and myself. I was impressed." There was silence for a moment as Hermione recovered from the shock of receiving the rare compliment from her old professor, before Severus spoke again. "I must ask, though, where did you find out all of the information about Albus and Worpe? And what made you think that was in any way connected to the situation between Albus and I?"

"I did a Defence Against the Dark Arts project on Grindelwald in my seventh year." Hermione told him with a shrug. "Of course I left out all of the bits about Dumbledore using the Killing Curse on his partner. I didn't want to be accused of telling lies about the dead. Anyway, of course that got me thinking about you. It drove me mad all year, but I just pushed it to the back of my mind. I would occasionally end up unable to stop myself reading up on what had happened, finding out more about you and about Dumbledore. It all became a bit of an obsession for me."

"So you were not doubt thrilled to accept the case." Severus commented, raising one eyebrow in vague amusement.

"Oh, no." Hermione told him. "I was horrified. It was my obsession, but I had no doubt at the time that you were guilty as sin. I was obsessed with finding out what had led a man who I respected and admired more than anyone else to murder his employer."

"And then you met me and I changed your mind within fifteen minutes."

"Exactly." Hermione said quietly. "I must admit, I had been slightly confused by what I found out about you. Even though all the time I had known you, you had seemed just the type, you just _didn't _seem the type from what I read and researched."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, as Severus mulled over everything Hermione had just told him. She had obsessively researched him for two years, trying to find out more and more about his history and his crimes. Hermione, meanwhile, just blushed furiously. She couldn't believe she had just told Severus Snape, the most sarcastic, demeaning, cruel man in both Wizarding and Muggle history, that he had been her two-year-long obsession.

"Anyway," Severus said gruffly as he stood up, briskly brushing crumbs from his robes. "I believe we have a trial to attend, Miss Granger.

Hermione huffed indignantly as the first witness was called to the stand. 'Great' she thought irritably to herself as she watching him take a seat. 'I was really hoping to delay the inevitable confrontation of cross-examination as much as possible.' She shook her head as Charlie Weasley stood up to begin questioning Harry.

"Please state your name for the record." The judge said, making brief notes on his papers.

"Harry James Potter." Harry said, his eyes falling on Hermione in a brief, cold glare. Judge Melville nodded in satisfaction, and Charlie stepped forward.

"Mr Potter," Charlie said politely, standing calmly in front of Harry. "Can you tell us what happened the night Professor Dumbledore was murdered?" Hermione's jaw dropped. He was just taking the hippogriff by the feathers here, going straight for the most significant questions and leaving all of the usual less important opening questions.

"Professor Dumbledore took me to a cave somewhere to find one of Vol – erm – You-Know-Who's horcruxes. Professor Dumbledore had to drink a potion to get to the horcrux, and it made him really weak and kind of confused, I think. He was screaming a lot while he drank it, not making any sense. Then we got what we thought was the horcrux, and apparated back to Hogsmeade."

"Then what happened, Harry?" Charlie asked, looking encouragingly at him.

"We bumped into Madame Rosmerta, and she told us about the Dark Mark appearing at the school, so we borrowed two of her brooms and flew straight to the Astronomy Tower. Then Malfoy turned up before I could go and get any help for Dumbledore."

"Is that Draco Cygnus Malfoy?" Charlie asked, checking his notes briefly.

"Yeah." Harry responded, licking his lips nervously.

"What happened then?"

"Malfoy gloated for a bit that Dumbledore was at his mercy; told him all about the plot between him and You-Know-Who to murder him. Then, though, he kind of lost his confidence when Dumbledore told him he knew he wouldn't kill him, and that he wasn't a killer. Malfoy said something like that Voldemort would kill his family if he didn't, and Dumbledore told him he could hide him and his family and protect them from You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. Draco had just started to lower his wand when three Death Eaters – Amycus and Alecto Carrow and Fenrir Greyback – burst in and tried to hurry Malfoy up a bit to kill Professor Dumbledor. Then Snape came in."

"To clarify," Charlie said, "You are talking about Severus Tobias Snape, yes?"

"Yes." Harry responded simply, glancing at Severus with burning hatred shining in his eyes.

"What happened then?" Charlie asked.

"Dumbledore begged Snape not to kill him." Harry responded, his voice cracking as a tear escaped his angry emerald eyes, and he swiped it away furiously. "Snape just kind of glared at him, cast the Killing Curse, and Dumbledore died." There was a stunned silence in the courtroom. This was pretty damning evidence, straight from the mouth of the Boy Who Lived. "Then Snape grabbed Malfoy and ran."

"So," Charlie said, looking somewhat triumphant, "You, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived – "

"Objection!" Hermione cried angrily, standing up and glaring at the second-oldest Weasley. "Your Honour, Mr Weasley is attempting to use the witness's status in the Wizarding World to make him seem more believable to a jury than any other witness. It is outrageous to suggest that his history in the war should earn him more credibility than any other witness."

"Sustained." The judge said simply. "Mr Weasley, please refrain from attempting to influence the jury with anything but the evidence in this case."

Charlie nodded silently and continued. "So, Harry, to clarify, you are telling me that you actually witnessed first hand the murder of Albus Dumbledore?"

"Yes." Harry said firmly. "Snape said the words _Avada Kedavra_, and Professor Dumbledore was thrown, dead, over the edge of the tower."

Hermione sat up straight, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in shock. He was _what_!

As Charlie Weasley stated smugly that he had no further questions, Hermione was muttering under her breath. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my _fucking _god!"

"Miss Granger?" The judge said, dragging her out of her shock. "Would you like to cross-examine the witness?"

"Erm… yes." Hermione said, gathering her wits quickly. She notices Severus was peering at her with concern.

"Mr Potter." She said, deliberately keeping any friendship out of the courtroom. "You mentioned that Professor Dumbledore was screaming as he drank the potion in Lord Voldemort's cave. What exactly was he saying?"

"Erm… I don't remember exactly." Harry said, thinking hard. "He was saying things like 'Don't make me' and 'I can't'. At one point I remember his exact words were 'No, no, no, I can't, don't make me, I don't want to'. He was saying things like 'It was all my fault' and don't hurt them, it's my fault, hurt me instead'. He said he wanted to die, and then he screamed 'kill me'. It was all very confused and jumbled."

"I see." Hermione said. "And do you know what the potion was that Professor Dumbledore drank?"

"No." Harry told her.

"What did it look like?"

"It was green, slightly glowing. No lumps or anything. Just like green, glowing water." Harry told her, looking confused.

"I would like to draw the jury's – and Mr Potter's – attention to Exhibit number 17 in the evidence booklet." Hermione said, turning to face the jury. "As you can see, it is a copy of information concerning the Gregorius Potion. Mr Potter, could you please read out the description of that potion?"

Harry glared at her irately before reading. "A watery green potion, which emits a green phosphorescent glow. Has the effect of forcing the drinker to verbally re-enact confrontations at the forefront of their mind, reciting the words of any participants in the conversations, and to see and react to situations they fear, and of severely weakening them, physically, psychologically and magically. Use or brewing of the Gregorius Potion is banned by Wizard Law."

"That sounds like a fairly accurate description of the potion Professor Dumbledore drank, wouldn't you agree, Mr Potter?" Hermione asked, studying him carefully.

"Could be." Harry conceded, still glaring. "We don't know what he was screaming about, though. No-one can say for sure if it was memories and visions, or if it was just random terrifying hallucinations."

"But it is possible that Professor Dumbledore was reliving conversations in which he ordered Severus Snape to kill him, and my client resisted, yes?"

"I doubt it." Harry said angrily. "Dumbledore _begged_ for his life!"

"Ah, yes." Hermione said with a nod, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "Could you tell the court exactly what Professor Dumbledore said when he 'begged for his life'?"

"Erm…" Harry looked uncomfortable as he thought back to the night that had caused him so much pain, and Hermione felt her heart break. "He said 'Severus… Severus… please…'"

"So he never actually said the words 'Severus, please don't kill me', or indeed anything along those lines?"

"Well, no, not _exactly_." Harry conceded. "But he couldn't! He was too weak! It was pretty obvious he was begging for his life though!"

"But that is simply speculation, Mr Potter, nothing more." Hermione told him. "Albus Dumbledore did _not _beg for his life the night he was murdered. It is equally possible that he was pleading with Professor Snape to carry out what he had reluctantly promised."

Harry glared furiously at Hermione, a sneer of pure fury, oddly resembling Draco Malfoy's characteristic expression, appeared on his face.

"Mr Potter, I would like you to cast your mind back to a discussion you had with the victim during your first year at Hogwarts School. You had just been informed that Mr Nicholas and Mrs Perenelle were ultimately going to die, and you were disturbed by this. Could you please tell the court how Professor Dumbledore responded to your reaction?"

"Erm…" Harry thought silently for a moment. "He said that to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure."

"Do they sound like the words of a man who would beg for his life, Mr Potter?" Hermione said, staring at him intently while he looked suddenly uncomfortable. "Or indeed a man who would be unwilling to sacrifice himself for the greater good?"

"I guess not." Harry admitted. "But who knows what was going through his head at the time!"

"Had you ever seen the Killing Curse used before, Mr Potter?" Severus glanced up at this, his brow furrowed. Why was she suddenly focusing on the curse?

"Yes." Harry responded coolly.

"How many times?"

"Erm…. three, not including Dumbledore."

"Who were those curses used on?" Hermione asked.

"I saw Voldemort use it on Frank Bryce in a vision, I saw Professor Moody use it on that spider in Defence Against The Dark Arts in fourth year, and I saw Peter Pettigrew use it on Cedric Diggory."

"So you would know quite well the effects of the Killing Curse?" Hermione asked.

"Yes."

"Would you describe them to us, Mr Potter?"

Harry huffed impatiently. "A flash of green light, and then they just died."

"They just died." Hermione repeated, raising her eyebrows and glancing at Severus once again. He looked positively thunderstruck. "Tell me, Mr Potter, how did they die? Describe _exactly_ what happened to them."

"They just crumpled down dead." Harry snapped angrily. "That's what happens. Fact. Nearly everyone knows that!"

"_They just crumpled down dead_." Hermione echoed emphatically. "They weren't thrown through the air, they just crumpled down dead!"

Harry was staring at her stunned, his mouth hanging open. What was she getting at? "That's irrelevant!" Harry shouted angrily, standing up. "At the end of the day, that _bastard_ said the Killing Curse, and it killed Dumbledore! He probably just hated him so much he put extra force into it!"

"Mr Potter!" Melville said sternly. "I must ask you to sit down and _calm down_."

"I have no further questions, your honour." Hermione stated, returning to sit next to a dumbfounded Severus.

"In that case, you may leave the stand, Mr Potter." Melville said coolly. "This court is adjourned until tomorrow morning."

With that, he swooped silently out of the courtroom, and Hermione released a great sigh of relief, her gaze falling on Harry as he stormed furiously out of the box.

_**A/N: So what do you guys think? I'm really happy with that chapter. Can't wait til Hermione gets to ask her own questions!**_

_**Read and review, folks! Will try to get another chappy up before I go on holiday, if not, see you in two weeks!**_


	5. Curse Breakers At Dawn

**Chapter Four – Curse-Breakers At Dawn**

When Hermione and Severus finally stepped through the front door of Hermione's flat the following evening, it was safe to say that they were utterly exhausted. After Harry had finished his testimony, Charlie had gone on to call Alastor Moody, Ron Weasley and Rubeus Hagrid as character witnesses against Severus. They had all agreed on Severus' open favouring of Death Eaters' children at Hogwarts, as well as his irrational, burning hatred of Harry Potter. Mad-Eye had also given a graphic description of the crimes for which Severus had once stood accused during the first war. Charlie had then, shockingly, called upon none other than Bellatrix Lestrange to describe to the court the crimes Severus had joined her in participating in.

Now, though, the prosecution had finished, and it was Hermione's turn to make her case. Although Charlie had questioned just five witnesses, the eye-witness evidence of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, saviour of the Wizarding World, was extremely valuable. Unless Hermione could somehow disprove her best friend's evidence, that alone was grounds for conviction.

"Are you alright?" Hermione's head snapped up to meet Severus' dark, concerned eyes. She had been standing still in the doorway for more than two minutes. The door hadn't even been closed.

"It's just getting to me a bit." She admitted, stepping wearily towards the sofa and dropping bonelessly down onto it.

"Hearing what I had to do." Severus stated guiltily as he sat down next to her. It wasn't a question. "The things I've done in the name of 'maintaining my cover'."

"No." Hermione said, meeting his deep black gaze and turning in her seat to face him. "I saw the way they were all looking at me. I've seen the papers. Everyone hates me. Even Harry and Ron. _Especially_ Harry and Ron. I just don't see how they're ever going to forgive me for this." She was silent for a moment as a single tear spilled down her cheek. "I think I've lost my best friends."

"Because of me." Severus looked down at Hermione as she averted her eyes, flushing with embarrassment as she silently confirmed his assumption. Heaving a great sigh, Severus gently brushed the pad of his thumb over her cheek, wiping her tears away, before gently touching her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "I can't apologise enough for everything I've put you through, Hermione. I know I don't deserve it, and you certainly don't deserve it. All I can do is thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I truly am _eternally_ grateful."

Hermione stared up into his eyes, black as the darkest coals, suddenly aware of how close their faces were. Her eyes darted quickly down to his lips and back to his eyes, her tongue briefly emerging from her mouth to quickly moisten her own lips. After a tense moment, filled with sudden, unexpected sexual tension, Hermione and Severus both moved forward at exactly the same moment, meeting in a rough, passionate kiss.

Hermione woke at 4:11 the next morning, sitting up sharply in bed, pulling the covers tightly around her as she looked to her right to see Severus sleeping deeply next to her in her bed.

"Oh my god!" She whispered, hurriedly grabbing shorts and a t-shirt and throwing them on. "Stupid! Stupid, Hermione!"

She couldn't believe she had actually slept with him. As soon as their lips had met, it had been inevitable, though. She had been so depressed, and he had been so desperate for _somebody_ to get close to him for the first time in over twenty years, they had, in that mind-blowing, bruising kiss, silently agreed to be there for each other. Now, though, Hermione realised how unbelievably stupid that had been. She had slept with a client! And not just any client; an incredibly high profile client!

So, distract from her utter shame, Hermione decided to start work early that morning.

An hour later, though, sitting on the floor surrounded by Dark Arts books and reference books and documents, and she still hadn't got any further. Something Harry had said just hadn't sat right in her mind, and now, Hermione had to somehow prove that Harry Potter was wrong, and, since the final defeat of Lord Voldemort, the Wizarding World didn't consider that to be possible.

"Hermione!" Hermione jumped in her seat, and looked up to see Bill Weasley's face hovering in the middle of green flames in her fireplace, peering up at her. "I need to talk to you. Can I come through?"

Hermione nodded numbly, watching as Bill disappeared from view, before stepping out of her fireplace in a flourish of soot and ash a moment later. What did Bill Weasley want to talk to her about? The Weasleys all _hated_ her. Didn't this count as high treason as far as they were concerned?

"Hermione," Bill said, sitting down on the sofa opposite Hermione and deciding to get straight to the point. "I've been following the case closely, and something's not right."

Hermione flushed angrily. The _cheek_ of him! Barging into her home to tell her it wasn't right to defend Severus! "Look, Bill!" She snarled angrily. "If you've come to tell me I'm wrong to take this case, you can just – "

"No!" Bill interrupted, shaking his head and holding his hands up to silence her. "That's not what I'm saying."

"Well what do you mean, then?" Hermione enquired, peering at the eldest Weasley child curiously.

"I know curses bloody well." Bill said, leaning forward so that he and Hermione were face to face. "Really, _really,_ bloody well. I studied curses, and I work with them every day. What I mean is that whatever it was Harry described, whatever it was he saw, whatever Snape used on Dumbledore, it wasn't the Avada Kedavra curse."

A/N: I know, I know, short chapter, but that just felt like the right place to end it!

Anyway, sorry it took so long, but I just started university, and that takes priority I'm afraid!

Read and review folks!


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